r1ch

Howdy all.

I'm 22, bout 5'9 and 9st 10. I've always been skinny, and never able to bulk up or expand my frame. What bulk I do have is in muscle (e.g good bicep and thigh muscles definition), and I'd guess I've got very little body fat. Up until Uni, I was relatively fit and healthy with a good diet, but since then it's been all downhill (Guess that's what Uni does to some :() in that I'm not eating a lot and I don't get a lot of exercise.

Basically, I'm looking to get healthy, bulk up a bit and add some definition later.

Now comes the honesty part. I don't eat well, or much. I also don't sleep a lot (as you might guess from the 5am post), so I know this is going to be tough. My job involves shift work, which is generally in the early/mid/late form, where I will work a week of early shifts (9-5) then a week of mids (12-8) then a week of lates (3-11). This messes up my eating and sleeping.

Anyone working shifts like me that can give some advice? Do you guys think it would be best to orient my day around sleep or work i.e do I sleep until I get up for work and then work out afterwards so the pattern of the day is the same, or do I sleep the same time every night so the pattern of sleep is the same?

Once I've sorted out my sleeping I'll be looking to sort out a proper diet with supplements that i can base around work and then start training and exercising to get fit and then build the bulk and finally add some definition.

I'm in this for the long haul, so I'm just looking for someone who's been in the same sort of situation to help me get started. Any advice appreciated thanks.



EDIT: When i started to post it was going to be about diet and supplements, but I realised there's a few things to get sorted first...please move to the 'Getting Started' section - sorry!

ParaManiac

Sort your sleep pattern out.Go to bed every night at midnight and aim for 7 - 8 hrs kip.This will cover all your shift pattern(which should not be a problem anyway as you don't do full nights)

Diet is very important,so post up if advice is needed,and just train around your shifts.Good luck

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r1ch

Thanks for the reply

So you think sleeping at the right time is the best option? That's fine, and something I'll get into the habit of doing.

As for diet, some pretty fundamental changes are needed here. A normal day would be a bowl of cereals (shreddies, 2 tsp sugar) and glass of orange for breakfast, then a sandwich, smoothie and chocolate bar (Boots meal deal) for lunch followed by a meat and two veg style meal for dinner.

First aim is to get healthier, so i'll be doing a fair bit of CV work to get myself feeling better to start properly training a little down the line i think. What would be a good diet for a basic CV workout? Is there any need for supplements if I'm just doing CV work, or should I start training from the start as well?

If I should be looking at supplements as well, what and how much should I start out on?

I've got a basic set of weights, is there anything else I should get? I was thinking about a nice heavy punch bag for the garage...

Thanks guys, I'm really looking forward to getting myself sorted out. :lift:

genan

hmm what is CV work?

btw I`m at uni as well and it shouldnt be an excuse to anyone.
In fact I think it`s much easier for students cause they don`t have work/family to worry about so they have plenty of free time (and energy) to concentrate on whatever they want.

I also do some work besides uni (night shifts - sucks ass really really bad:violin so I know where you`re coming from.
As para said first thing first, try to establish a healthy sleeping pattern. I`m talking from experience when I say sleeping during the day is not as good for you as sleeping during night.

I usually take melatonin with the sole purpose of reestablishing this pattern after those horrible night shifts otherwise I feel like a zombie for days.

ParaManiac

Basically concentrate on complex carbs(wholemeals and plenty of veg etc),lean proteins (chicken,fish,eggs etc) and healthy fat(fish oil/nuts/seeds etc.Eat every 3-4 hrs(6-8 meals a day).Prepare food at home and store in tupperware.

Taper your carbs down towards the end of the day unless that happens to be postworkout when carbs will be needed.Cut out all the chocolate and processed sh1te!

Read the diet section for ideas and then post up a template of what you plan to do and advice will be given on any alterations needed.

At this stage i would not worry about supps until you have a solid routine up and running

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r1ch

Ok, it's getting past midnight so I should be heading to bed, but wanted to reply and thank you guys again for the advice.

6-8 meals a day?! That will be a shock to the system...I'll have a browse through the diet section and come up with a plan. That's going to cost a small fortune compared to what I eat at the moment, and I don't know if I can eat that much!

I guess we're talking about breakfast, 1st break, lunch, 2nd break, after work, dinner and snack before bed?

Genan, by CV i mean cardio vascular work, i.e running. I think I'm righ tin using that abbreviation? :confused: I know Uni shouldn't be my excuse for letting myself go, but it was my first time away from home and I wasn't focused on eating right and exercising, it was just all about going out and drinking! lol. Well, it's two years this june since I was at Uni, so those days are behind me and I'm gonna get myself feeling better about myself again! (You could say I'm a bit depressed at the moment, I just had a bad break up with my 5 year girlfriend so I need something to focus on.)

How easy is it for someone who's used to eating 2-3 meals a day to go to 6-8?

ParaManiac

It will take some effort to adjust,that's for sure,and i suggest you introduce the changes gradually.

Basically,at present you will be used to eating large meals 3 times a day,the new plan is to eat smaller but more frequent meals(based on the macro's previously stated).Eventually it will become second nature.

This process has the benefit of keeping your metabolism up while continuously supplying your body with the nutrients neeeded to progress.

keep your chin up fella and give it a go!

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robbiedont

Deffo sort your sleep pattern out first, I used to be terrible, stay up for a few days then sleep through the day, getting up at midnight and going to bed at 5pm.

Wasn't healthy I can tell ya!

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r1ch

Okay so I wanted to bump the thread to update you on what I've been up to...

I was in two minds whether to post any pictures or not, seeing as you're all ripped and i'm still just a skinny weed, but here's the progress. First pic was taken 03/03 and the second today (16/03).


I've put on nearly a stone, and am now 10 st 6 lbs (~65 kilo). I think the weight itself shows, my biceps are bigger and more defined and my lower arms feel significantly larger. I'm gonna try and keep putting the weight on for a bit, and keep doing some mild training while sorting the sleep out once and for all.

I'm not on a specific diet yet, but i'm eating a heck of a lot more and drinking lots of water and trying to keep it more frequent.

Again, thanks to those who have posted with helps and support so far

Attached Images

	0303.jpg (59.0 KB, 46 views)
	1603.jpg (62.8 KB, 46 views)

r1ch

Okay guys, don't all shout at once... :p

What weight should I be targeting? 11st? 12st?

I just had my interview for a promotion at work to be the team manager - that would mean regular office hours for work and would definitely help with the sleeping pattern, so i've got my fingers crossed for that!

Workout equipment. I've got a pair of dumb-bells with weights that total 8.5kg each. What would be a useful acquisition? A work bench? A full bar for the weights? Anything else?

Thanks as always

cellaratt

A gym membership

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wogihao

To be fair a gym membership would be your best bet otherwise to do it properly even with a basic barbell set your looking at £200 for a olmypic set and a bench.

It will then get used once or twice then will sit in the corner gathering dust destined to be sold in a future trade-it.

The gym membership gives your the motivation to keep up the training and the regular trips make it easyer to get into a routine. Its just to easy to take time out and watch a bit of TV, make a cup of tea ect at home.

But If i had no choice, I would get this.

145kg olympic 7ft bar + weights.

Bench + spotter stands

OR powercage MUCH better but then your doubling the cost.

a chinning bar, or if you have a park near buy you can use that.

A set of olympic dumbell handles and maby a few 5kg plates.

chalk, some wrist wraps, a belt.

r1ch

Okay then, Gym membership it is I'll keep the weights I've got for random work outs when I feel like it.

Think it'll cost about £25 per month which includes unlimited gym and pool use. Not a bad deal?

davetherave

i'd always recommend a power cage fella, £229 will buy you mine
http://www.gymratz.co.uk/weight-trai...nt/item455.htm
i got mine from the fitness superstore in stretford though - the weight limit is 1000kg so i can't see many people wearing it out

it depends on what you want to do, i decided to buy my own stuff at home and can train on my own, some can some can't

i looked at gym membership when i moved house but when i go is the busiest time